Jenn-

I loved the last few lines of your post. My week has not been productive. I need some help I am not doing well at all and have fallen back into my old eating patterns. My whole family was here for the weekend- birthday parties you name it! But I could have made better choices but I consciously chose not to. I have to really get back on plan. I dont' want to gain back the 10lbs I lost. Ugh.

Hey gang,

Hope y'all are having a great weekend. Mine's been pretty productive. Went & worked out both yesterday & today so feel pretty good.

Jenn-I love your last couple of lines, too. You're exactly right, too. The guy doesn't know what he's missing just going by a picture! Glad you were able to figure out that you might not be eating enough. How's it going for you now that you've adjusted your eating?

Wendy-What sort of detox are you doing & how's that going? I think I could do a detox now depending on what it included. I've cut down a lot on the caffeine and I think that was my biggest problem before.

Amy-how are you doing? Don't give up! Just jump back on and get going. Trust me, I know how hard it is to break the habits. Did you meet with the trainer yet?

I hope everyone has a great week. I'll have a busy one, with lots of meetings this week. I'd love to have just one week without meetings!!!

Take care. Remember, we CAN do this!

I have totally fallen off...BUT I am not going to let it get me down. I am recommitting and I have a mini goal to stay on program this week.

I met with the trainer and I don't think this is the person I am going to go with. He isn't available the times that work for me. I have a very demanding schedule unfortunately and only have certain times that it can work. So I am looking for someone else but in the meantime I am going to do bkrum yoga. Have any of you done it? Its the yoga in the 100 degree room.

Thank you ladies for your support!!!!!!

Hello Ladies

Jen-I just started today with adding in an extra Balance Bar. So it’ll be a few weeks before I see any changes on the scale and in my clothes. I was sick this weekend with yet another cold so I kind of fell off the wagon and ate what I wanted when or if I wanted.

Amy-I have little sayings that I keep telling myself. One being, that I need to focus on a healthy lifestyle rather than a diet, once I do that the pounds will fall off. The first three letters of the word DIET spell DIE, that is not an option to lose weight. Another is that life is not a structured eating plan, life gives variety and choices. It is hard and sometimes we don’t have healthy options. I’ve learned that at holidays and other celebrations it’s OKAY to indulge a little. Just get back on the next day and usually the pounds will fall off because it isn’t my usual eating habit. Every day is new day that brings a clean slate. I’ve found that beating myself up isn’t a help either.

To this day I stick to not keeping things in my house that I don’t have control of. I keep mainly natural foods, veggies, fruit, whole grains, vegetarian protein and low fat dairy. It’s a daily fight I’ll have for the rest of my life, but it does get easier the longer you are away. It’s almost like an addiction. The longer a smoker is away from cigarettes the easier it gets to not smoke.

Don’t give up!!! Keep at it, you’ll find your grove and little tricks that work for you! It takes time and experimentation.

Good luck with your search for a trainer! After I lost both of mine back in January (sniffle I miss working with one of them! He was my favorite!), I recently started working with another trainer at the gym and he’s great! He trains just like my favorite trainer did, but yet is different. You need to feel comfortable with them and their style of training.

Now for the juicy stuff! This online dating thing keeps getting interesting when I least expect it too.

Okay so back in the beginning of the New Year, I emailed this one guy on match. He’s a chemist and his profile didn’t say much but it did say that he likes to keep life simple. We exchanged a few emails then I stopped emailing him because things at work got a bit crazy and overwhelming. When I get like that I need to take time for myself and just rest and slow down a bit. So I get to work and check my email account from there and see that I have an email from him! Out of the blue! I haven’t heard from him since the SuperBowl! His email though completely took me by surprise! It was one line, three words! I’m trying to figure out how to respond. Here’s what he said:

“Hey good looking”

LOL! Three words have never left me so speachless!

The dilemma is this. In the past I’ve had two psychic readings in which one mentioned that the right one for me will have a connection to the medical field. That one was from about 5 years ago or so. The other said that I’ll have one relationship that I’ll break off cause “I’m just not feeling it” and then meet someone right away who’ll I’ll marry. Look for something to do with law he says. I know that this most likely psychic crap even if they did hit on things that no one could know, but it’s in the back of my mind. I don’t want it to influence me, but its there. I think this guy, with his wanting to keep life simple, would be good for me (I like to take things at 100mph). He’s cute too. It seems at this point he likes me for me, which is a big deal to me. I don’t want someone who will only like me for my body (when I do get a nice athletic toned one), but see the depth too.

My guts say, give him a chance. But I have NOOOOO idea how to respond to that email! LOL! I want it to be a nice one liner as well. I was thinking maybe as a response to his “Hey good looking” a friend at work was thinking I should respond with "whaaaat ya got cookin! LOL

HELLP!!

Hi Everyone!

My code name is Persisitent Pam. I live in Toronto Canada. I'm in the marketing industry and have been out of work for 4 months now and have gained 10 lbs. I've just started the beck diet and am on day 7. Its been a hard day. I haven't been motivated to do much. I got up and then went back to bed til 11. Yesterday was amazing. I'm not sure, maybe my body is detoxing from the sugar. For sure I'm going to do my 1/2 hour run at about 4 pm.

I weigh 160. I want to get down to 140. I like the beck diet so far. Cause I am starting to see how I feed my self all these negative thougths. and that just gets me down and I give up. I've been faithfully reading my ARC cards and doing all my tasks....eating mindfully is hard though.

I'm pretty certain I'm in the dumps today cause I've been feeding myself the "you'll never get a decent job", "you'll make the same mistakes" junk. So I'm going to try and do an hour of talking through these talks.

It was interesting cause on sat this was even worse and I got through sat very well and sunday was amazing so it was really good to see that, so that even though I'm in a fearful and negative mood, I know that this will pass.

Hey Ladies!

Finally I have some good news. In addition to the temperature creeping above the freezing mark this weekend and the sun deciding to make an appearance, I lost 2 pounds at my weigh-in on Friday! I was so excited I did this little dance after getting off the scale only to notice two guys checking me out through the window. The old me would have blushed and looked away, but the newer more confident me blushed and smiled at them. They smiled back and moved on. I can't even tell you how happy I am this week. In the past this plateau and even gain of weight might have broke me, or at least caused me to give in to my cravings more often, but I stuck to my plan of the detox and it paid off!!

The detox itself is going well. I don't even know if it is a true detox. It isn't one of those just fruits, veggies, water and juice diets. What I am doing is I stopped all caffeine, alcohol, red meat, most dairy, all un-natural sugar, and processed food for two weeks. I am also taking a few supplements for the week to help in the cleansing process. I take several fiber supplements both am/pm, milk thistle (for liver cleansing) and a very mild and completely natural supplement that helps as a laxative. I believe this is to help because of all the fiber. I also have to drink almost double the amount of water (128 oz/daily). This is because it helps the fiber attach to toxins in the digestive tract and process it through. So far, so good. I am using the bathroom frequently, but aside from that no other complications. It is not something I am planning to do often, but I felt like I was at the end of my rope and this was something that I could do. For the most part I think it is just aiding my natural detoxers (liver & kidneys).

Amy, I thought what Jenn had to say about looking at this as a lifestyle change instead of a diet is a great idea. Whenever anyone asks me how the diet is going. I try to refrain from cringing and say that I am not on a diet, but that I am just trying to be a healthier person and that anybody could benefit from that. I find it makes me feel no different than any woman out there, no matter the size.

Jenn, the e-mail guy sounds interesting. I am not always good at those witty one liners so I'll refrain from giving my advice on that. I just wanted to say that I think you should go with your gut and see what happens. I had two psychics tell me that I would meet the man I was meant to marry, but that we would be friends for several years before becoming romantic. I could remember analyzing every friendship I had with a guy. I finally had to just realize whatever was meant to be would happen or it wouldn't. Don't put too much on it to start. Just have fun and enjoy the fact that this man finds you attractive and sexy because you are!!

Pam, We hope to hear more from you!

Take care everyone and have a great week!

Wendy

Jenn--

Totally agree with you on the new day comments. Thats the thing I am doing new this time because I know tis the only way its going to work and I do have good news to report-- so far I am on plan for today!! wooo hooo. My great oneliner is-- right back at yah babe! :P Hey if you are attracted to him go with it! As far as the pyschic stuff-- not a believer in that. God has a plan for you-- it will unfold right before your eyes. Keep yourself open to any and all possibilities. And yes you are hot! You have to believe that 100% Heck I know I am hot now! Its really important too because people will recieve you the way you feel about yourself. We are all hot.

Pam-- I can totally feel you. I went through a rough two years of my life in terms of jobs-- starting my own business and I also gained weight during it. One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is stay active. Try and get yourself on a schedule. Maybe volunteer in some places so while you are on your job search you have a "life" if that makes any sense. Its so hard to interview over and over again and have to give 100% when you aren't feeling 100%.

Wendy-- so cool about the detox! I am glad its going well for you. Have you gotten that engergy boost yet? If you haven't trust me you will know when it happens.

Keep it up ladies!!! And thank you for your support--


Amy

Ohh p.s.....I am always interested in the juicy stuff!! lol I have nothing to share right now but when I do-- ohh you will know :P

Well ladies,
I emailed him! I went with....

"Whaaat ya got cookin" LOL!

I also told him as a hint to think country music! Then I left my yahoo email address. I hope I wasn't too late as his profile was no longer available, but it did say that I can continue to communicate with him. The email's are connected to our private accounts so hopefully he'll get it!

Time will tell, but if that's what Life and the good Lord have for me, then it'll happen!

Keep your fingers crossed and send all the positive vibes you can!


Jenn

WOW. I've missed a lot!

Jenn-I love that you sent "What ya got cookin?" back to him. Honestly, it was the first thing I thought of. And, don't believe the psychics!!! Oh, and I love the thing about "diet". I think I remember a long time ago, there was a Garfield poster that said, "Diet is DIE with a T"

Pam-Welcome to the group! What is the Beck Diet? Positive self-talk does work. Sometimes, you may not believe it when you start, but after a while, it kicks in...sort of the "fake it, til you make it" rule.

Wendy, I'm glad the detox is going well. And I love the confidence you have!

Amy, Glad you were able to meet w/the trainer. I hope you'll be able to find another one who can meet your schedule. I haven't done yoga, but I hear hot yoga is great! My sis-in-law is actually a certified yoga instructor & she loves hot yoga (not sure if she teaches it or not). When they move back this summer, I think I'm going to try to get a few private lessons from her! I'm intimidated about just walking into a class because my flexibility sucks!

I've done pretty well eating & exercising. I know a group of us are going out Thursday night & I've given myself "permission" to eat & drink what I want. But, I also know the consequences if I don't eat healthy for the rest of the week & continue to work out.

Oh, I have a small victory. I haven't been able to wear my regular watch since I broke my wrist almost 3 years ago. Now, it fits. It's a little tight, but it fits!

Have a great rest of the week, gang.

Well, yesterday I was annoyed because I didn't exercise and at 2 desserts.
today I did my exercise (again ate too much dessert). I know both times I was eating in front of the tv. Its so hard to give that up.

I've decided that exercise must be a regular part of my life. I do 15 min of yoga a 30 minute run, 10 minute cool down walk and then 15 minutes of yoga to stretch. I feel good after I've done it. I'm doing the Beck Diet...(Judith Beck). Its really interesting cause it's all about changing the way you think. CBT (Cognitive Behaviorial Therapy). I like it. The first thing you have to do is write down on a card a few reasons why you want to lose weight (so I feel better, so I feel great when I put on my fav jeans, so I can make a difference in life instead of hiding behind food). Then you have to read this card at least 2x a day. I've been doing it 9 days now. I haven't weighed my self. I'm scared that might set me off if I haven't lost too much. oh well, small lossses are still great. In a year it won't matter if I've took 6 months to lose 23 lbs.

I've done alot so far today. and am feeling overwhelmed. I'm going to do some meditation. and later this aft b4 dinner, I'm going to go to starbucks, get a coffee and write 3 pages of journaling. Why. So I don't over eat at dinner. I want to feel good and this is why I have to pay attention to what I'm doing. (Can you tell I'm trying to convince myself. ) anyway. that's it for now...take care all. Persistent Pam

Just popping in to say hey! My week so far has been pretty hectic, but I am still staying OP! Whoohoo! The detox will finish up this weekend and it looks like I dropped about 5.5 lbs in the last week and a half.

Pam, I think that the CBT thing is one of the most important parts of the whole weight loss thing. If you really want to change your life you have to start with your thinking and motivation. I know that it will pay off for you even if the exercise/dessert thing has been difficult lately. That is all in the past. Our biggest blessing is that we get to start each day anew. I think the journaling, meditation and yoga will help you get in the right headspace. Good luck.

Jenn, I am sending positive connection vibes right now!!!

Amy, I have done bikrum yoga and I absolutely love it!!! However I do have this thing with loving to sweat a lot when I work out. I just don't feel like I pushed it hard enough if my hair and shirt and sometimes pants aren't drenched. Go figure?

Jen, congrats on the watch. We all have to celebrate the small stuff sometimes, and have fun on Thursday night. Have a drink for me. (Can't right now due to the detox )

Take care everyone!

Wendy

Hi
My name is Genny and I m 36

Ive been divorced for what seems like forever..since it was so long ago sometimes I forget I was even married! Except for a year and half relationship I have been single ever since. It so easy to just stay at home and not get involved with life that I find it very hard to get out there. I have some anxiety issues that hinder this process so that doesnt make things easier. I for one HATE being single. I miss the closeness and the feeling of being loved.

I have a couple of good friends but there are times that friends just dont fill the whole gap. I look forward to chatting with you 30 somethings hopefull I can draw some courage from you all cause Im in pretty short supply.

Keeping fingers and toes crossed...

JENN--Keeping fingers and toes crossed...

Wendy...I love the fact that you responded in fun to the guys checking you out (on the weekend). That's so awesome. And wow. detoxes are hard. I did one a brown rice one for 10 days. b4. Nothing but brown rice...I don't think I can do that again.

JenJen...the beck diet. is by Judith Beck (The Beck Solution diet)...she's a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist and she gives a tip a day in her book and there are work books too. Day II of the diet I had to give my self credit for every good thing I did..(and each tip I learn I have to keep doing it every day). ie: Good for me I recorded my food today. Good for me I just finished exercising. Good for me I made that phone call I didn't want to make.

It's a 6 week program and I'm going to do it at least 2x or more until I just get used to doing all the do stuff automatically.

Welcome Genny...I hear you about wanting to be in a couple...I used to really want to be in a relationship and now I still do but not sure if I'm ready just now. I just broke up w/ a bf 2 weeks ago. One thing was for sure. I ate alot in the relationship cause I was scared of getting close. It's good that you are working on your health now until the right guy comes along. When you are sure you're ready you can meet tons of guys online. I read in Self or Cosmo or something like that that 50,000 + people have met online and gotten married (I forget if that is just North America, US or worlwided). I know 4 couples that have.

Anyway. I'm overwhelmed by my weight. I went to self.com You can record your weight every day and find the calories that you are eating. (I've never done that in my life b4) and I realized the reason I'm not losing weight is cause I was eating alot. Who knew. I'm thinking I'm eating "sensible diet food" and really I'm over eating...So I'm going to record my food online for a bit just to see the calories...I've heard anywhere from 1800 to 2200 a day. I've been having a lot more.

Plus the new business that I'm working on is a no sugar, no gluten cookbook which of course then gives me desserts that I have to try. Only now I have to set down limits. Dessert only at dinner. A month ago I was eating two huge pieces at dinner and lunch and snacks...of course I'd gain weight...oh well...I made some mistakes and now I have to get back on track.

Btw how do I get that lovely weight chart that you guys have at the bottom of your comments....

Take care everone...